My Egyptian Encounters..

Hmmm... middle-eastern men are cute and flirtatious.. not a very healthy combination when one is thirsting for attention, but very ego-boosting I must admit.
It didn't help that i was travelling with someone (the only guy in a foursome) who had absolutely NO CONCEPT of the notion of gallantry. Not a single time was any help offered when his 3 female companions struggled along with luggage.His frequent giggling was also .. urgh.
Am I being too judgemental? Perhaps. i suppose i'm the one who has certain expectations. This guy was just planning to enjoy his trip. But why did it irk me so much? hmm..

The history of Egypt is just so incredibly rich.. A synagogue where Moses was supposed to have been picked up from the bulrushes, a church cellar where the Holy Family stayed over, hieroglyphics recounting how Pharoah had been engulfed by the Red Sea. Gosh.

But the main revelation I received was about - the manger. There were camels, donkeys, horses all over the place (i was astoundedby how poor it is), and anywhere where there was more than one horse gathered (especially in an enclosed space), the stench of horse shit was just overpowering.
Why oh why oh why, I wondered, had the God of the universe chosen a manger to be born? Surrounded by hay stained with green, stinky, sticky horse-shit. It made me marvel at how great His grace is, how willing he was to be utterly humiliated.
On new year's day, i was doubly blessed when this revelation was added upon. A very wise friend shared about a sermon he had heard at his church. It was about how God had chosen to tell the news of His birth - first to the idolaters (Magi), the shrewd, poor deceivers (Shepherds) and finally, later, to the church (Anna). How then shall He reveal Himself again in this new age? Who are we to judge the idolaters and deceivers among us?
A humbling truth indeed.

One my birthday (in Egypt) I was also incredibly blessed. Got to share of some truth of the Lord with my Egyptian guide. A rare privilege. i'm praying that the the Thomas Kempis book i passsed to him will open his heart.


Once again, i read through this entry and I'm struck by the schizo effect it has. Started off with bitching and ended praising. Then again, most of the psalms follow this pattern too.. hmm. =)